Ten Seconds
by SpartaLazor
Summary: "Captain, if you don't do it, you'll regret that you never did," Roland told him. "And the new year is for a fresh start. You're supposed to leave your regrets behind and start off with a clean slate. Don't start the new year off filled with regret. You only have ten seconds. You need to make your move now!" It's New Year's on the Infinity, and Roland attempts to give Lasky a hand.


**_I thought I would do a little piece for the New Year, since my was kinda lame. Sat at home with nothing to do other than play video games. Not really that bad when you think about it, but I still wanted to do something more. Anyway, I'm trying something a little different from my normal style here, so I hope you enjoy._**

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><p><strong>Location: UNSC Infinity<br>Date: December 31st, 2558  
>Time: 11:57pm<strong>

The entire ship was in an uproar, and not in the bad way. People were out in the hallways and corridors dancing around with their partner in one hand and a bottle in another. Of course, they seemed to neglect that this sort of partying was supposed to come _after_ the start of the new year.

Captain Lasky elbowed his way through a group of celebrating Marines, eyes scanning through the crowds of people as he looked for one person in particular. He only had three minutes before the start of the new year, and he was going to make sure that he started it off on the right foot.

"Hey, Captain!" shouted an ODST, who was in his full body armor for some reason. "Have a drink with us Helljumpers!" He raised a bottle of whiskey, and motioned for Lasky to join them. "We've got the finest stash of booze on the whole ship!"

Lasky shook his head, pushing past a staggering drunk Marine that didn't look old enough to shave, let alone drink. "Not right now, soldier," he replied. "I'm looking for Commander Palmer. Have you seen her around?"

The ODSTs chuckled. "You looking to hit that, sir?" one asked, causing the other ODSTs to laugh a little harder. He then caught Lasky's cold stare and nodded toward a door. "She's in the observatory, or as it's temporarily known, the dance floor."

Lasky sighed as he walked into the observatory, taking in the sight. "What the hell have they done to my ship?" he muttered to himself.

It didn't look like an observatory anymore, not even close to one. Someone had installed a fog machine, so the whole room was lightly coated in wispy white clouds. Banners that had "Happy New Year" emblazoned on them hung from every nook and cranny, and someone had even rigged up a disco ball in the middle of the room.

But where was Palmer? Lasky's eyes darted from person to person, but he couldn't find the Spartan. Maybe he was misinformed? Well, maybe not. All of the damn smoke made it hard to see five feet in front of you. Someone was getting latrine duty over this one.

"Hell of a party, isn't it Cap?" The orange AI appeared on the holographic pedestal next to Lasky. Roland was out of his normal pilot's uniform, and instead wore what appeared to be an old-timey tuxedo with a top hat. In his right hand was a cane, and in his left hand, he held a virtual wine glass filled with virtual alcohol. "You missed Spartan Thorne's rendition of Auld Lang Syne, by the way. It was pretty much the same as the original...just with the singer more drunk."

"Roland, I'll admit I didn't think you would be one for partying," Lasky said, looking over the shipboard AI. "And...nice hat."

"Thanks. I had to look through several databases just to find one I liked," Roland told him, then took a sip from the holographic wine. "It took me a whole 1.34 seconds. So much time for one little hat. And don't get me started on the tux. That took a whole 4.342 seconds."

"Do you know where Sarah is?" Lasky asked. "I really need to talk to her."

"Who?"

"Commander Palmer. I just said that."

Roland's face lit up like the Christmas trees that were about to be taken down. "Oh, so we're on a first name basis with the Commander. That's nice." He pointed over to a couple dancing in the smoke. "She's over there. With DeMarco."

Lasky's mouth dropped open. "How the hell did DeMarco get her to dance with him? Don't they, like, hate each other or something?"

"Eh, I think it's like one of those old romantic comedies that you can find reruns of," Roland remarked. "Two people seem to despise each other, and then it turns out that they're perfect for one another while the good looking, really important, other guy that liked her gets rejected completely." He paused while Lasky glared down at him with a glare colder than winter. "Well, that sorta slipped," the AI said. "Must be the booze talking."

"Yeah, like that's a likely story."

Roland tossed his now empty wine glass away, and stuck his hands into his pockets while he gazed up at the Commander. "You need to stop being so grouchy. So they're having a dance together. It doesn't mean anything. Forty-five seconds, by the way."

"Until...?"

"Um...2559. Duh." Roland waved a hand toward Palmer and DeMarco. "You know how couples kiss at the start of the new year? You need to go in there, and make your move. If you don't, then that idiot will get to kiss your dream girl. And trust me, you don't want that, do you?"

"But...what if it all goes wrong?" Lasky asked. "I've never been good with things like this. What if she really likes DeMarco more than me? What if-"

Roland sighed. "Well, if you're not going to do it, then we'll be dateless together. You see, I don't have anyone either."

"You're an AI."

"So? I would've asked Cortana to be my date, but that didn't work out. For some pretty obvious reasons." Roland checked the clock. "Fifteen seconds. Make it or break it."

Lasky took a deep breath and stepped forward...only to stop and shake his head. "Roland, I don't know. I just don't know. I mean, I was never sure that she liked me in return in the first place." He took another nervous step forward, before running his hands through his hair. He really didn't want to do this.

Then the ten second countdown began, with bright shining numbers on every screen in the room.

"Captain, if you don't do it, you'll regret that you never did," Roland told him. "And the new year is for a fresh start. You're supposed to leave your regrets behind and start off with a clean slate. Don't start the new year off filled with regret. You only have ten seconds. You need to make your move now!"

Lasky nodded, and looked back at the dancing couple. The fog was starting to get thicker, making it harder to see the faces of the people around him. _You know,_ he reasoned to himself,_ if things go wrong, I could probably get away with saying it wasn't actually me. I can hardly see a thing through this fog._

"Five!" the people cheered out, as the final seconds of the year ticked away. Lasky was snapped back to reality, and suddenly found himself heading straight for Commander Palmer. This was it. No screw ups. No turning back.

"Four!" Several steps closer now. He was going to do it. Lasky was actually going to do it. No longer was he going to keep how he felt secret. He was going to go straight up to-

"Three!" Oh god, he was actually going to do it. He was only mere steps from Palmer now, yet he could hardly see her face through the smoke. He didn't think that the could-

"Two!" He didn't think that he could do it anymore. All his courage had abandoned him, and fear took its place. He felt like he was about to puke, and his knees were shaking under him. No...he was going to go-

"One!" This was it. He had to act now. Lasky opened his mouth to speak-

"Happy New Year!" shouted the entire room, burst of confetti popped out of seemingly nowhere. The couples that had been dancing were now lip-locking with each other. Lasky felt his soul leave his body when he saw Palmer and DeMarco with their lips pressed together.

Lasky balled his fists, and walked back to Roland. He leaned his back against the wall, and slid to the floor, hiding his face in his hands. He screwed it up. He had the chance, but he didn't act fast enough. He was so close, yet so far.

"Um...Captain?" Roland asked, looking down at the Infinity's Captain, sitting in the corner like a shy teenager at a high school dance. "There's something that I-"

"Shut up," Lasky snapped. "I don't want to hear any apologies."

Roland looked up as someone new walked into the room. "Seriously, Captain. You need to get back up. I need to tell you that-"

"Roland. Shut down. That's an order."

"Captain. You need to see-"

"Roland. Shut the fuck up!"

Lasky felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked up all he got was a peck on the lips. The darkness of the room and the fog made it hard to tell who it was. The disco ball reflected some light his way, and he caught a split-second glimpse of his kisser.

Commander Sarah Palmer.

Roland cleared his throat to get the Captain's attention. "Now, as I was trying to say, as it turns out, the person with DeMarco is not actually Palmer. The smoke is too thick for me to tell who's who out here. And furthermore...

But of course, neither Lasky or Palmer were listening to him. "Happy New Year," Palmer said.

Lasky smiled. "Happy New Year."

Then Roland raised his second wine glass. "Happy friggin' New Year, everybody!"


End file.
